Alfhild Hovdan

Alfhild Hovdan (née Olsen; 13 September 1904 – 20 February 1982) was a Norwegian journalist, and later tourist manager for the city of Oslo for more than forty years. She is known for initiating the tradition of the Trafalgar Square Christmas tree, a present from the city of Oslo to the people of London, in recognition of their assistance during World War II. From 1927 she worked for the Swedish newspaper Stockholms Dagblad, and for Oslo Aftenavis and the magazine Film. She was involved with the activist network "2A", supported people hiding from the Nazis and helped them to escape to Sweden. She had to flee to Sweden in April 1942, where she worked at the Norwegian legation in Stockholm, in the "Sports Office" , headed by Harald Gram, which organized underground courier traffic between Sweden and Norway.

While in Sweden, she was among the founders of the theatre group Fri Norsk Scene, which consisted of Norwegian actors residing in Sweden as refugees.

Post war In 1947 she initiated the tradition of donating a Christmas tree to London, a present from the city of Oslo, in recognition of assistance from the people of London during World War II.